


When the Dawn Comes

by Artemis_Egeria



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Amnesia, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Everyone lives/Nobody dies, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Post-Avengers 4, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), SVE2018, Scarlet Vision Exchange 2018, let the happy endings roll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 16:16:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16044026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artemis_Egeria/pseuds/Artemis_Egeria
Summary: After returning from the Soul Stone, Wanda does not remember an important person from her past. It turns out that he doesn’t remember her either. Their memories gradually return to them.Made for the Scarlet Vision Exchange 2018.





	When the Dawn Comes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mrhiddles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrhiddles/gifts).



> Written for the prompt: “I would like a fic of them finding each other again after someone uses the Time stone to bring everyone back, their memories coming back slowly to them.” Title is from “Memory,” lyrics by Trevor Nunn. Many thanks to AnontheNullifier for beta’ing.

**I. Knowledge Begins with the Senses**

Wanda woke alone in a forest. There were distant sounds of people talking, but no one was in the immediate vicinity. She startled when she looked down and saw the completely gray body of a man with a hole in his forehead, but his body dissolved as she stared at him.

A new light source drew her eyes away from the spot where the body had disappeared. The glowing ring floated in the air for only a moment as Steve and Natasha stepped through. “Wanda!” Natasha exclaimed. “Are you alright?”

Wanda struggled to sit up. “Yeah, but what’s going on?” Her head throbbed, and the world seemed to waver around her. “Did we win?”

“We did,” Steve assured as he helped her to sit up, “but there’s still a lot of fallout to clear up. What’s the last thing you remember?”

“I was fighting Thanos, and crying for some reason. Then, I collapsed…” When Wanda tried to recapture that moment, there was only blackness and despair, followed by a sense of overwhelming relief. “I started to disintegrate, but I don’t remember anything after that.”

Steve and Natasha looked at each other. “You don’t remember why you were crying?” Natasha probed.

“No, should I?” Wanda had no desire to relive that emptiness that was the only remnant of whatever overpowering grief had caused her sobbing when she faced Thanos.

Steve just shook his head. His voice was firm when he said, “We’ll handle that later. Let’s get back to the palace for now.” Natasha and Steve each took one of her elbows and hoisted her up, and they joined the streams of people heading back to the center of the city.

Wanda’s legs refused to support her without her friends’ assistance. “Oh!” Her body came to a halt without her permission. Steve and Natasha gently urged her to keep walking. Wanda continued, “There was a body next to me back there, but it dissolved.”

Neither Steve nor Natasha seemed surprised. Steve said, “We need to talk to Strange.” He wrapped an arm around Wanda, so that he could support her more fully and the three of them could move more quickly. “Come on; we’ll explain everything.”

“Who’s Strange?” The name sounded familiar to Wanda, but she couldn’t place it.

A Wakandan warrior passing by at that moment, supported by two comrades, muttered, “I think we’re all strange now.”

Their progress was much faster now that Steve was bearing most of her weight. When they reached the palace, they were greeted by the oddest looking man Wanda had ever seen. He had deep red skin that was interrupted by lines of silver. His irises had the look of gears. There was a yellow stone high on his forehead. What was even stranger, given his appearance, was that he was wearing a perfectly normal outfit of a dark blue sweater and white button down, with gray pants.

But then he smiled at them. Wanda found herself captivated by the bare curve of his lips and the open, friendly look in his eyes. “Hello, Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff.” When she caught up with their longer strides, the man turned to her. “And you must be, Miss Maximoff. Hello and welcome back. Captain Rogers informed me that he was going to collect you.” He held out his hand to her. “My name is Vision. Pleased to meet you.”

She shook his hand. “Uh, you too.”

Steve looked between them. “Vision, Wanda, wait here a minute. We’ll be right back.” He waved for Natasha to follow him, and they disappeared behind a heavy metallic door.

“Would you like to take a seat, Miss Maximoff?” He gestured to a nearby sofa. She nodded and collapsed gratefully onto it. He perched on the other end of it keeping her company while they waited for further instructions. Wanda found that she felt unaccountably comforted by his presence, but that very comfort disquieted her. Who was this stranger who seemed to know the whole team, and why did she want to be near him?

Natasha finally returned as Wanda’s anxiety was rising. “We’re ready for you, Wanda. Vision, we’ll call you back in a few minutes.” He smiled at her reassuringly as she followed Natasha.

The only people in the room were Steve and a tall, thin man with a gray stripe in his brown hair. “Wanda, this is Doctor Strange,” Steve introduced them. Strange nodded at her. “He’s the Sorcerer Supreme, and he’s been our ally in fighting against Thanos. He used the Time Stone to bring everyone back before it was destroyed along with the others. He’s going to explain what’s been going on since half the universe disappeared.”

“Hello, Wanda. When I gave Thanos the Time Stone, I included a secret spell in the corona around the Stone.” He explained how he was able to regain control over the Stone and use it to reverse all that had happened. Working in conjunction with the others who fought Thanos by more conventional means, they had taken advantage of Thanos’s weakness after the Snap. “Steve told me that you saw a body next to you when you first woke up?”

Wanda nodded. “I didn’t get a good look at it before it dissolved, but it was a human body.”

Strange went on, “That was the timeline correcting itself. We should probably bring Vision in now.” Steve brought Vision back a few moments later, and he sat calmly beside her. Steve and Natasha stood close together in front of the sofa where Wanda and Vision sat, while Strange was slightly removed from them. “Now that you’re both fully apprised of the situation,” Steve’s voice faltered a bit, “we can tell you the rest.”

Strange explained, “Wanda, the body you saw just now was Vision’s.”

Wanda blinked. “But he’s right here.” She turned her head to gauge his reaction, but he merely tilted his head slightly in question.

“That is what the timeline had to correct.” Strange’s tone was matter of fact, as if he were discussing the weather. “You see, Vision died when Thanos took the Mind Stone. However, Princess Shuri, Tony, and the others were able to revive him with a replacement for the stone. So, when we brought everyone back, there was a conflict because Vision was alive and dead at the same time. That could not be supported.” She was baffled, but Vision was nodding with a look of understanding on his face.

Steve jumped in. “That’s actually the easy part. Wanda, Vision, do you still not remember each other at all?” They looked at each other before murmuring that they didn’t. “Okay. There’s something we feel that you both should know.” Steve bowed his head, and even Natasha’s composure broke, her face crumbling as she looked away. 

Their silence continued until Wanda could not take it anymore. “Steve, please, what do we need to know?”

“You were…” Steve raised his head to look at Wanda and Vision directly, “together before Thanos arrived.”

The way he said it made her think that he didn’t just mean in the same space. “You mean, romantically?”

“Yes,” Natasha answered. “For about two years. You never told me all the details, but it was plain for everyone to see that you loved each other.”

Wanda noted that Vision’s face lost its easy contemplation. The corners of his mouth turned down more and more as silence stretched in the room. “No one mentioned this before,” he said very quietly. She tentatively reached out to cover his hand where it rested on the lounge between them.

Steve’s face turned guilty as he faced Vision. “We thought that it would be easier for you not to remember Wanda because we weren’t sure we would be able to bring everyone back.” His expression became resolute. “But we were wrong to hide such an important fact of your life from you. We were just repeating old patterns of not communicating that led to our fight at the airport and the mess that came after. Going forward, openness and honesty is the only way.”

“How can we not remember?” The words left Wanda’s mouth in a plaintive whine.

Strange interjected, “You’ll need to have a full physical exam to rule out other causes, but it is my professional opinion that you both are suffering from dissociative amnesia. The trauma of losing each other, particularly the way you lost each other, and the additional trauma of Vision losing the stone caused your minds to suppress those memories.”

Vision asked, “Will we get them back?”

“It’s hard to say,” Strange made a balancing gesture with his hands, “but in many cases the memories are fully restored. Sometimes they return gradually and in other cases they come back all at once. I’m sorry that I cannot tell you more, but every case is different.”

***

“I’m sorry.” Vision looked down to see the orange-haired woman, Wanda Maximoff, staring at him. “For agreeing to kill you to destroy the stone.” Tears were pooling in the corners of her eyes, and he felt an irrational and irresistible need to ease her troubles.

“No apologies are necessary, Miss Maximoff. I do not remember feeling anything.” After hearing a brief description of that moment, he was grateful that he could not remember, despite the importance of that event in his life, or perhaps past life. “Moreover, saving half the universe would have justified any pain inflicted on me.”

She continued more softly, “And I’m sorry that I don’t remember you.”

“It is only fair, seeing as I do not remember you.” After spending only a few hours in her company, Vision felt as if he should recognize her, know her. But he did not. There was only blankness where memories of her might be found.

“After what they told us, I feel as if I should be upset, but I’m not.” Vision had to agree with her sentiment. He was troubled by the emptiness, but he felt no sorrow at losing the woman he had supposedly loved.

“Nor am I.” He paused, dissatisfied about ending the conversation there, but uncertain as to how his next thought would be received. “Would you like to compare our memories of our time before Thanos to gain a better understanding of what memories we are missing?”

“Yeah, maybe.” She did not seem enthusiastic about the prospect. He did not press. They attempted to turn to more mundane pleasantries, but their conversation ground to a halt. She bade him farewell and left him to his own thoughts.

***

A few days after half the world was revived, King T’Challa hosted a massive celebration in honor of their victory over Thanos. Attendance was lower than might have been anticipated, but Wanda was not surprised. Half of the population and defenders of Wakanda were still too shell-shocked to even consider celebration. However, the Avengers and many others were undeterred.

She had only given in because Nat had begged her to go. After dancing through a few songs, she hovered at the edge of the noise, nursing a drink and rebuffing all attempts at conversation. Until she saw Vision coming toward her.

“Hello, Miss Maximoff.”

“Hi.”

“Would you like to get some fresh air?” Vision waved a hand toward a dark hallway. “There is an open balcony just this way.”

She was hesitant. She had been avoiding him the past few days. She had been surprised at his immediate offer to explore their missing memories. Necessity or not, she had killed him. She suspected that she would not be as forgiving in his position.

But his subdued, hopeful expression was too much to resist. “Yeah, that sounds good.” He led her away from the crowds. The sounds from the party dissipated, and the warm air coming from the balcony caressed her skin. Soft jungle noises of bird calls and rustling trees filled the air. “It’s peaceful out here.”

Vision rested his elbows on the railing of the balcony. “Yes, I find it calming.”

Wanda asked, “Have you decided whether you’re returning to New York to the compound in a few weeks?” At a meeting the previous day of all past and present Avengers and allies, they had discussed the future of the team. Carol, now selected as their official leader after Steve and Tony had gratefully and finally retired, had given everyone the choice as to whether they would remain or become Avengers. She had urged them all to consider the option carefully.

Vision barely paused before answering, “I will be staying on as an Avenger. And you?”

“Me too.” It was the only thing that she felt certain of in this new world. After the loss of her family and her involvement with HYDRA, Avenging was all she knew. She was not done making amends for her past actions. Despite her misgivings, a persistent desire in the back of her mind led her to continue, “Maybe we can talk more on the way back. I want to hear more about what life was like after we all disappeared into the Soul Stone.”

He nodded. “I would like that.”

* * *

 

**II. Smell**

A few weeks later, those who would be staying on as the newest version of the Avengers began moving into the old compound in upstate New York.

Vision returned to his former room. Aside from a few upgrades and repairs in the wake of their victory, everything was unchanged. Miss Maximoff’s room was still a few doors down the hall. He still didn’t know what to think of the fact he had apparently carried on a nearly two-year romantic relationship with her that he could not recall. She appeared equally uncertain. They had spoken briefly in the weeks since the team’s revelation, but everyone was absorbed in the tasks of reconstruction and settling into new roles.

They greeted each other amiably when they crossed paths. But neither of them made any special attempts to seek one another out. Vision felt tempted to do so, on occasion, in order to fill in the gap in his picture of the world. However, some emotion that he could not name hovered behind her eyes when she saw him, and he did not wish to intrude.

Sam insisted on more group bonding activities than ever. One night he organized a campfire. They cooked hotdogs over the fire and drank beers from a cooler Clint had brought. Scott provided the materials for smores. Vision became so absorbed in a conversation with Carol, who was seated next to him, that he did not notice his marshmallow becoming burned to a crisp until the smoky scent reached his olfactory processors.

He understood the fact that scent was closely linked to human memory, but he had not fully appreciated it until now.

_Suddenly, he was transported to a rubble filled sky. Dust and smoke infiltrated his nostrils, making him grateful that he did not truly need to breathe. He was flying through the debris and found a young woman in the falling train. He felt her in his arms, saw her turning her face up to look into his eyes in surprise. In his mind’s eye, the woman’s features coalesced into those of Wanda Maximoff._

_Vision carried her to the lifeboat where the others had gathered. He deposited her next to Captain Rogers; he judged that he, among all the others, would take care of her. Now that her shock was wearing off, she was struggling slightly, but he trusted that Captain Rogers would tend to her in her distress. There was one more task for him to complete before he could determine what step to take next._

Vision stood abruptly. Carol looked up at him and began to make an inquiry. He muttered a request to be excused and stumbled away from her and the others. The darkness beyond the circle of light cast by the fire was welcoming.

“Vision, are you okay?” He turned toward the voice to see the face that was haunting him just now. Fortunately, his breathing, though unnecessary, was slowing to a normal tempo.

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry for leaving so hastily.” Vision attempted to smile, although he was uncertain that his effort was successful.

Wanda did return the gesture. “Do you want some alone time, or are you coming back?”

“I will come back with you.” He needed time to consider this memory, but that would have to wait until he reached the quiet and solitude of his quarters. He had no wish to draw attention to his distress.

***

The next morning Wanda went outside early, before the compound could wake. She was beginning to love her new teammates, but it was still a relief to be alone. Everyone had lost much in the fight against Thanos. She had lost too, but she wondered if her loss counted for anything since she didn’t feel the pain.

She thought Vision might understand. He was the only one who might. But she kept herself apart from him. It seemed presumptuous to seek him out. Just because they were once together did not mean they had anything in common anymore. Vision also had several years of experience while she was caught in the Soul Stone. He was kind and friendly with everyone. It would not be fair to take advantage of that just so that she had someone to talk to.

She let the smell of the grass and the fresh morning air overpower her thoughts.

_Grass was freedom. Grass was stability. She had never seen much grass growing up. The section of the city where her family lived before the bombs did not have enough land for front yards or parks. When she and Pietro lived on the streets, there was only dust and concrete. Then there were their HYDRA cells. To see acres of grass spread out around her was a luxury that she had not imagined in years._

_She felt tears spill down her cheek at the thought that Pietro would have loved it here. It was more space to run than they had ever had._

_“Good morning, Miss Maximoff.”_

_“Vision, what are you doing out here so early?”_

_“I was going to attempt to make pancakes, and I saw you out the window. It’s cold this morning, so I brought you a jacket.” When she saw it was the red leather jacket that Pietro had thrown her before the battle against Ultron, she choked back a sob._

_“Thanks.”_

_“May I join you?”_

_“Of course,” Wanda answered immediately. “This is your home, too.”_

_They settled into a companionable silence. She sank down on to the grass despite the wet ground, and he followed her. She expected his presence to be cloying, but it was surprisingly peaceful to sit next to him. He was the image of quiet acceptance._

She gasped when she woke to the present. Her memory felt so real. She still had no context, but it brought her grief to the surface. Pietro had been gone for years by the standards of the rest of the world, but for her it was still only three years. It was not enough time.

She was changed. The Avengers were changed. The world was changed. But Pietro would never change. She let her grief overwhelm her for a time.

* * *

 

**III. Sound**

After two months back at the compound, Carol had reinstituted a full training schedule. Four days a week the group run began at 5:30 am. At 5:15 Wanda’s alarm went off. She groaned and rolled over, unprepared to face anew day of arduous training, only to receive another flash of memory.

_She was in another room. Instead of the muted early dawn light, bright sunshine entered through gauzy curtains. She was not alone. She could feel the body of a man stretched out alongside her. He was gently shaking her shoulder as an annoying series of beeps sounded from the bedside table._

_“Wanda, it is after 10. We have opted to press the snooze button five times. Should we not get out of bed?”_

_She shifted, so that she could drape her arms over him and rest her head against his chest, eyes still determinedly closed. “Do we have to?”_

_He considered for a moment while he swept her hair away from her face and ran his fingertips around the outside of her ear and down her neck. “I suppose not. We have tomorrow to sightsee.”_

_Just then her stomach growled loudly. “I’ll get you breakfast.” He slipped out from underneath her despite her protest that they should stay in bed. “I promise I will only be gone for ten minutes.”_

_Wanda finally opened her eyes to see a tall blonde man that she had never seen before, but who looked oddly familiar. He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled before walking out the door._

A knock on her door snapped her back to the present. “Wanda, it is 5:25 am.” Vision’s familiar warm voice was a much nicer sound to bring her fully awake. “Are you ready? I did not want you to face Carol’s wrath for being late.”

She smiled to herself that she and Vision had come so far from the days of awkwardly avoiding each other. “I’ll be just a minute. Thanks for rescuing me.” Somehow it didn’t seem strange that they were becoming fast friends, often finding each other at odd hours and talking about everything under the sun.

“It was the least I could do after you saved me from Sam last week when I accidentally washed his lucky shirt.” She laughed at the memory of Sam threatening retribution against the person who had destroyed his favorite piece of clothing. Wanda had seen the trepidation on Vision’s face and knew that he was about to confess when she chimed in that she had committed the heinous crime. Sam’s resentful glare had cooled down after half an hour, but Vision’s gratefulness had lasted for days.

Wanda shook herself from her reverie and jumped out of bed, rushing to get into her running clothes. Meeting the others just in time to avoid a lecture, she joined Vision at the back of the group.

Later that day she came across Vision in the seldom used compound library. “Good afternoon, Wanda.”

“Hey.” She browsed through the available books. Most of them weren’t to her taste; they were largely military history or science textbooks. When she finally found something that caught her interest, she sat in an arm chair across from him. Her attempt to read in silence was short-lived; when she looked up, Vision was just turning his eyes back to his book. “Do you mind if I ask you a question about the time before Thanos?”

He raised his head and smiled. “Of course.”

Wanda looked down at her hands and played with her fingers. “Did you have a disguise you wore when you wanted to blend in?”

“Yes, after the fallout from the Accords, I developed a disguise that would make me look more human, so that I could be less conspicuous when following leads.”

“Um, what did it look like?”

He gestured toward himself. “Much like my natural form, but with pale skin, blonde hair, and ears, of course.” Wanda had known that the morning’s memory must be of Vision, but she just wanted to confirm her suspicions. Most of the flashes she had seen since returning were of his red and vibranium form.

She wondered whether she should tell him about her memories. It was tempting sometimes, and he had indicated a willingness to talk about them, but it still felt wrong somehow. They were teammates and growing to be friends. That should be enough. She fought the growing sense within her that she was missing out on so much more.

***

Vision heard gentle strumming as he walked down the hall past Wanda’s room. He paused at her door, just soaking up the melody. On impulse, he knocked. “Come in.”

“Hello, Wanda. I’m sorry to disturb you, but do you mind if I sit with you?”

“Sure, make yourself at home.” She returned to her sheet music to pick up where she left off as he sat in the chair across from her bed. The surroundings shifted subtly around him when she played the first few notes.

_He was sitting in the chair in Wanda’s room, listening as she worked through her chord progressions. She paused half way through when she struck a wrong note. She began again only to stop after a few notes. She started once more, but the outcome was the same. She set her guitar aside. “Ugh, so much for that.”_

_“You have been practicing for over an hour. It is natural to get tired.”_

_“I guess so. It was going well earlier.”_

“Vizh, did you hear what I said?” Wanda’s eyes were focused intently on him, and he shifted guiltily at his failure to hear her question.

“I’m sorry. I did not.”

“I was asking what you thought of my playing. I’m still rusty.”

“It sounded very nice.” That was somewhat of a lie because he had not heard what she had been playing just now, but he judged it was admissible because the song that she had been playing earlier was well done. She played through another simple melody.

Wanda flipped through her songbook, looking for something new to play. He ventured, “You called me ‘Vizh.’”

“Yes, I like the sound of it. Is that okay?”

“It is, but I don’t think anyone has called me that before.”

Wanda smiled at him, and Vision felt simultaneous relaxation and exhilaration. “Well, they ought to.” He concurred.

* * *

 

**IV. Taste**

Peter’s kick landed against Wanda’s jaw and she dropped to the floor. “I’m so sorry, Wanda. Sorry sorry sorry sorry.” All the sparring around them came to a stop. Even after four months of training together, there were still occasional mishaps when new team members were not fully aware of their position or strength.

Vision was at her side instantly, kneeling next to her with one hand on her leg and one on her side. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, Vision.” Wanda looked up at Peter, who was still hovering over them, practically in tears. “It’s okay, Peter. I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t realize we were fighting so close together.”

Someone brought Wanda a washcloth to clean her bloody mouth. She spat out the blood, but the murky aftertaste remained.

_Wanda bit her lip so hard that she tasted blood. She didn’t understand why people said that blood tasted metallic. To her it just tasted like anger and disappointment and memories. Clint, piloting the plane that he had obtained from an old SHIELD contact, did not seem to notice her mood. “We have to go to San Francisco to pick up a guy named Scott. Then, we’ll meet Cap in Berlin.” She merely nodded and murmured. He glanced over at her. “Maybe once we finish the mission, you can come back to hide out at the farm until things cool down.”_

_“I would like that,” she whispered. It was the truth, but she couldn’t think about that right now._

_His brow furrowed. “You can meet Nathaniel in person.” Wanda smiled slightly, but she felt her face fell almost immediately. “Are you okay, kid?” He paused. “Robo-man wasn’t mistreating you, was he?”_

_“No! Not really. He lied to me by omission, and he should have explained things to me. He was wrong not to tell me the truth.” Part of her felt raw. She still remembered his soft “Not yours,” his hand wrapped carefully around her upper arm, and his eyes full of regret,_ _which sliced into her heart._ _She knew he hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. She knew he didn’t mean that he was only concerned about the damage she could do or the pain she could inflict on innocent civilians. She knew he was concerned for her well-being, but it still hurt. That did not take away the rest of their history. “But he’s my best friend.”_

_“He held you there against your will. Cap said Stark told him you were being confined. It’s not their place to tell you where you can and cannot go.”_

_“It wasn’t like that.” He continued to glance at her skeptically. “My problem is with Stark. It was his idea in the first place. Vision was wrong to agree with him, but he hated doing it. He was doing everything he could to make me comfortable.”_

_“Hmm,” Clint pushed an impressive amount of disdain into one syllable, “you’re cutting him a lot of slack.”_

_She did not deny it; her mind was too focused on her own sins. All she could see was Vision’s look of confusion and disbelief as she sent him into the earth. “I took control of him and pushed him through the floor, Clint. He didn’t deserve that.”_

_“He’ll be fine,” Clint shrugged, “but you may have to fight him again.” She did not respond. She doubted that she would be able to make him see; he had never gotten to see Vision as a full teammate, or anything other than a strange new creature who could be friend or foe. Instead, her gaze shifted to the star-filled night sky and the clouds beneath them._

She woke to Vision waving a hand in front of her face. “Wanda, how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three.”

“Can you touch your nose with your index finger?” She did so without difficulty.

Relief flooded Vision’s face. “You looked very far away for a moment. I feared that you may have a concussion.” The others were still standing around her. Carol and Sam helped her up. She walked slowly back to her room, thinking more about the past than the present.

***

Natasha cannonballed into the compound pool, covering everyone else who was already in the pool in a wave of water. Vision remained in a lounge chair far outside the splash zone, simply reading and soaking up the ambient sounds of his friends enjoying themselves.

Wanda shouted at him. “Vizh, come on! Join us.”

“I am perfectly fine where I am.”

“Please?”

It was becoming somewhat concerning that lately he was unable to deny Wanda anything. Especially when she looked at him so hopefully. “If you insist.” He slid into the water and stood in front of her.

“Sorry I dragged you away from your book.” Wanda’s smile was more than reward enough. “But isn’t this more fun?”

Now that he was in the water, which was pleasantly warm against his skin, he had to agree with the sentiment. They floated together, somewhat separate from their noisier friends, until a beach ball landed directly in front of them.

“Pool volleyball!” Sam shouted. “Guys against girls.” Vision could tell from a glance at Wanda’s face that she had similar feelings about the idea to his own, but they complied. With the absolute ruthlessness of Natasha and Carol, the women soon pulled ahead. At one point, Vision had an opportunity to spike the ball past Wanda, but he wasted it when he lobbed it softly toward her. She returned it easily, accompanied by much (mostly) teasing abuse from his teammates.

At that point, the women’s victory was a foregone conclusion. Their subsequent celebration devolved into a splash battle. What began as a conflict that was split along the same lines became a general free-for-all. Vision fled to the edge of the conflict. Wanda joined him. He moved to block one stray splash from hitting her, and she smiled up at him.

Without warning a massive wave crashed over both their heads before he could think to close his eyes and mouth. The taste of chlorine and other chemicals was foremost in his mind. The pool water was noxious in a way that he could not adequately describe verbally. He began coughing violently to remove the unwelcome water from his throat.

_Vision let the hot water wash over him, not caring that it fell into his eyes and mouth. Today the water was what people classified as “hard;” he could taste the metallic residue of the superfluous minerals. He decided to focus on that rather than his anger at Ross and the entire United Nations. Vision needed to maintain control of his raw emotions. He stayed under the water until he felt that he could approach Ross with a degree of civility and respect._

_When he reached the conference room, Mr. Stark and Colonel Rhodes were already seated across from Ross. It was exactly the designated hour for their meeting. “Secretary Ross.” Vision gave him a tight, controlled nod. “I apologize for my lateness.”_

_Ross did not acknowledge him except to say, “Now that we’re all here, we can get started. Rogers broke out the witch and the others three weeks ago. I have received no updates on your progress in finding them. Lang and Barton are under control, but the rest have been free to do God knows what damage with impunity. And Romanoff has been in the wind since your little airport dust-up.”_

_Vision clenched his fists under the table at the special venom in Ross’s voice when he mentioned Wanda. Mr. Stark smoothly began, “We’ve been looking everywhere. There’s a lot of information to go through. We’re hunting two well-trained former soldiers, a master spy, and a woman who can turn people’s minds to jelly.” He did not appreciate that characterization of Wanda’s powers, but it was not the time to dwell on that._

_“I grow tired of your excuses, Stark.”_

_“Secretary Ross, we are expending our full resources in searching for the fugitives. We can give you weekly updates on our progress,” Colonel Rhodes said._

_“Fine. You’re all on notice that if I don’t see some real progress, we’ll have to explore other methods.” He walked out without a backward glance._

_When he was gone, Mr. Stark let out a laugh. “You enjoy making more work for yourself, Rhodey?”_

_“We had to give him something, Tony. It might be fun to cook up some fake data trails to show him.” Tony chuckled and clapped Rhodes on the shoulder. The two stood to leave, but Vision remained behind. He shuddered to think of what “other methods” Ross might have in mind. He would have to redouble his efforts to find the others first._

He returned to awareness of the present with Wanda patting him on the back. “Thank you, Wanda. I am fine now, though I cannot recommend drinking pool water. The taste is most unpleasant.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip.” Laughing, she dragged him up the steps to go dry off.

* * *

 

**V. Sight**

Vision found Wanda in one of the training rooms that had been modified to contain her increased powers. Strands of scarlet surrounded her, allowing her to juggle various objects, raising and lowering them in intricate patterns.

He always loved the sight of her powers. The way the chaotic energy danced was mesmerizing. The red light wrapped around her made her skin seem to glow.

It was difficult to believe that he had only known her for six months, at least in this new life. He felt that he knew her better in that amount of time than everyone else he had known in his years of existence. He realized that he should make his presence known rather than stare at her from across the glass, but he could not force himself into action.

_Vision landed at the coordinates that she had sent him prior to their meeting. She had refused to tell him why she had chosen this location. There were no towns or farms for miles around, only deep, dark forest._

_“Come on, there’s something I want to show you.” A small hand dragged him farther into the trees without preamble._

_He smirked down at her slightly. “It is good to see you, too, Wanda.”_

_A ball of red energy formed in the palm that she lifted closer to his face. “Now it’s good to see you.” A squeeze of his hand and a small surge of happiness from her mind to his conveyed her satisfaction._

_Eventually they reached a small clearing. “Wait here.” Wanda walked closer to the center and stopped, closing her eyes. The glow of her powers surrounded her hands first, but then the circle expanded until her whole body was enveloped by swirls of scarlet energy. She lifted off the ground and he could see red flickering behind her eyelids._

_She lifted the dead leaves and debris that littered the forest floor and let it whirl around her. Vision was fascinated by the dance of her powers and the self-assurance of her movements. She had grown so much in the year since going on the run. He could not adequately express his pride in her and awe of her._

“Hey, Vizh. You okay?” Wanda was coming out of the training room, seemingly unaware of how long he had been watching her.

He tried not to show his surprise and guilt. “Hello, Wanda. I am well. Are you coming to the team movie night?”

“Of course. Can’t miss the weekly debate between Team Comedy, Team Animation, and Team Horror.” On impulse, he offered her his elbow. She took it, grinning up at him. “Maybe we can convince Sam and Scott to join us so we can get a different genre tonight.”

Participating in a scheme with her was an appealing prospect. “An excellent suggestion. I will take Sam.”

“I’ll take Scott. The others won’t know what hit them.”

***

Wanda knocked on Vision’s door. He opened it with a broad smile on his face and ushered her in. “Thank you for agreeing to this, Wanda.” He already had an easel set up and a chair behind it. A series of paints and a palette were laid on a small table next to the easel. “Please sit.”

She settled in the chair, crossing her legs and placing her hands on the armrests. “How’s this?”

“Perfect. Thank you.” Vision began mixing colors on his palette, stepping closer to her to test the paint against her skin. She watched the purse of his lips as he added a smidgen more white and pink to the mixture. He moved forward again. Wanda’s eyes, which were now level with his chest, focused unconsciously on the outline of his muscles under his sweater. She was suddenly very aware of how close he was standing to her.

She hoped that her disappointment did not show when he moved back toward the canvas. Though Vision’s brow furrowed in concentration, his brush almost seemed to dance over the canvas in light, precise flicks. She took the enforced stillness while sitting in front of him as an opportunity to stare at him in a way that would normally be frowned upon.

_Wanda knocked and entered at a word from Vision. He was looking uncommonly dejected. He attempted a smile, but it failed to reach a convincing level of brightness. “Hello, Wanda. May I help you with something?”_

_She shook her head. “No. I was just bored. I figured I would see what you were up to.” After six months with the Avengers, life was slightly less overwhelming. Now that she was no longer quite so consumed with the newness of training and missions and her grief over Pietro, she found herself looking for company more frequently._

_“I am attempting to paint.” He returned to his canvas, putting what looked like the finishing touches on the picture._

_“I see that. I didn’t realize you painted.”_

_“I was reading an art history book, which led me to consider how much can be conveyed through visual media. I thought I would make my first painting an image of what I first saw after I arose from the cradle.”_

_Wanda examined his painting more closely. It was a decent representation of the busy city block outside Avengers Tower, especially for a first attempt. She did not understand why he seemed so sad. “It’s very nice, Vizh. I’m sure you’ll only get better with more practice.”_

_“Thank you, but I failed completely to capture the feeling I experienced when I first gazed out at the New York skyline. I have tried to explain my amazement to others before, but they do not seem to appreciate what I mean. I have come to the conclusion that words may simply be insufficient.”_

_She had to admit that the painting displayed none of the wonder that she had seen on his face or felt from his mind when Thor first brought him to life, but she was desperate to reassure him. “It’s only your first try. People hardly ever succeed on their first try.”_

_“That is true. Thank you.” His general air of despondency did not lift._

_Wanda tried to think of some other way to reach him. “Vision, you’re fascinated by all aspects of humanity, aren’t you?”_

_“Yes?” She smiled at his confusion._

_“Just think. I’ve never seen you fail at anything yet; this is a whole new experience. You can find out what it’s like to go from failure to success, and it will be even sweeter.”_

_The light of revelation dawned on him. She thought that she had never seen a more beautiful face. Vision turned his smile directly toward her, and she forgot how to breathe momentarily. “I had not thought about it like that. I appreciate your perspective.”_

“Wanda?”

“Oh, uh, sorry.” His smile was understanding as he put away some of his painting supplies. “What was that?”

“I was asking if you wished to be done for today. I have completed the portion of your portrait that I intended to.”

“Oh, yes. But may I stay here a while? Your room is relaxing.” She held up the book that she had brought.

“Of course. You are always welcome here.” Vision settled in a chair across from her, and they passed the evening reading and talking quietly.

* * *

 

**VI. Touch**

Wanda swept Vision’s arm aside as he swung it toward her. “Vizh, I know you can move faster than that. You can actually try to hit me.”

He ducked his head. “I know, but I don’t wish to hurt you.”

“I can shield myself. Try again.”

Even after more than nine months of training with the new team and years of being unable to rely on the Mind Stone, he was still struggling to adjust. He disliked hand to hand combat, but it was all the more important when he could not shift his density. Beams from the solar gem that had replaced the Mind Stone only worked when a high degree of destruction was called for.

He threw another jab at her. She ducked out of the way easily, taking advantage of their height difference. Vision spun, so that he was facing Wanda again. She continued to dodge every punch and kick that he aimed toward her until he was legitimately trying to land a blow in their match. Finally, she caught his fist in her hand and paused. “I think that’s enough for today. Same time tomorrow?”

Vision nodded as she turned to leave the training room. The feel of her hand around his had short-circuited him. He waited until Wanda was out of sight to sink to his knees when a memory swept over him with more intensity than ever before.

_They lay in bed. His body curved behind hers, and his arm was draped over her stomach where their hands were clasped together. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder._

_She whispered, “Vizh, do you ever think about the future?”_

_“Frequently. Do you mean something in particular?”_

_Wanda remained silent for a time. “Do you think there will ever be a day when we don’t have to hide?”_

_Vision considered his next words carefully. “I am not certain. Ross will not amend his position with regard to the Accords, and he has enough influence with the UN to prevent others from rethinking their support as well. But I would like to believe that they can still be convinced to allow you to return.”_

_He had not told her yet that he was prepared to leave it all behind. His transponder was currently sitting in the bottom of his luggage, turned off. He was prepared to never turn it on again, but he was still waiting for the right moment._

When the memory subsided, more replaced it. Every moment from the first time he felt her consciousness brush his, while he was still Ultron, to his death at Thanos’s hands filled his mind. The first time he spoke to her. One of the many times he comforted her after a nightmare. The conversation where he asked her to describe what sunlight felt like on her skin, and she had not laughed or merely said warm, but took pain to give him a full picture of the sensation.

Wanda. He had forgotten her, but she had returned to him. He couldn’t process, couldn’t think of anything beyond Wanda, Wanda, _Wanda._ He got up to go to her immediately, until the chilling realization hit him. She still did not remember him. He was certain that she would find him as soon as she remembered.

It would not be right to remind her of the past while they were on such unequal footing. They had a strong friendship now; Vision could content himself with that. He did not know how he would treat her as just a friend with access to his full store of memories of her touch and her love, but he would find a way for her sake.

He had to believe that she would remember him as well eventually.

***

Wanda considered Vision’s odd behavior. Something had changed since their one sparring match two weeks earlier. Most of the time Vision was himself, watching movies with her, cooking for her, excitedly telling her about Dr. Cho’s most recent discovery. But at other times, she caught him staring at her out of the corner of her eye, unsmiling but not unhappy in any way. His increased scrutiny disturbed her, but only because it pulled at the strands of memory that she felt were still tangled within her, waiting to be teased apart. She had asked him once if she had something on her face. Vision had quickly looked away and said she didn’t. She almost believed that she was imagining things, but she couldn’t be sure. She removed her washing from the dryer. As she pulled her socks from her towel, she felt a small shock.

_Thunder and lightning were heavy in the air. The world outside their hotel room was almost pitch black, despite the fact that it was only midday._

_She was not really thinking, and when she went to plug in her phone to charge, she received an electric shock. She returned to the bed where Vision was sitting cross-legged on top of the covers. He smiled at her. “Since the weather has ruined our plans for the day, would you like to watch a movie?”_

_She nodded, reaching for the television remote that lay on the bedside table. She scooted backward against the headboard and swung her legs out in front of her. Vision mirrored her position as they browsed through the available stations._

_The space between them on the bed seemed to get smaller of its own accord until they were touching from shoulder to ankle. After several months of sneaking away together when they could, Wanda and Vision had re-established many of their old routines, including comfort with physical proximity. She felt fortunate that they were able to have this again._

_It was her turn to choose the movie. Her frame of mind led her to_ Chocolat. _It was not difficult to see why the story of two people falling in love despite, or perhaps because of, leading lives the world did not approve of appealed. But she chose not to think about it too hard._

She returned to the present, still clutching her sock. Unlike other times, that was not the end of it. More memories flooded her. Pouring out her life story while Vision listened with no trace of judgment. Flying with him around the compound. The first time she kissed him.

Wanda left her washing where it had fallen from her hands. Even though she had scolded him in the past for disregarding the privacy of a closed door, she barged into his room without knocking. Vision was already asleep in the bed that he had had put in when they returned from Wakanda, but he woke as soon as she entered and shut the door behind her.

“Wanda, is something wrong?” He sat up, levering himself up with both arms.

She crept toward him, and eventually she was almost face-to-face with him. He switched on the lamp next to him, but remained silent. She could not drag her eyes away from him, wondering if he could feel the intensity of her gaze burning him. His face remained impassive, but he was opening his mouth to say something else when she blurted, “I love you.” He said nothing, and she continued in a rush. “I’m sorry. I remember everything now. I guess I should have led with that, but I couldn’t wait.”

His expression immediately shifted into a wide smile. “I love you, too.” Her mouth fell open. “I have a confession to make. I remembered two weeks ago.” He reached out to grab her hands, and she sat on the edge of the bed next to him. “I did not want you to feel any pressure to remember.”

“You hid it well.” Vision released her hands to cradle her face, with his thumbs brushing over her cheeks. Her breathing sped up as he was gazing at her so tenderly. But a new thought made her wince. “And you remember that I killed you?”

“Only because I begged you to, Wanda. As I said when you first came back, that was the only choice to make. If I had to go back and choose again, I would do the same. Though I am sorry that I had to ask that of you.”

“Only because it was the only option.”

They fell silent. They both still had a lot to talk about, but that was enough for now.

Wanda leaned into him and clutched at him. Vision wrapped his arms around her in turn. Tears began to fall from her eyes until she was sobbing. Their arms tightened around each other. She could feel his own tears falling onto her skin when he kissed her forehead. When she could speak again, she croaked, “I love you, Vizh. I love you.”

“I love you.” Vision slid deeper into the bed and pulled her with him until they were pressed close together. She molded herself to him, unwilling to have even half an inch separate them.

There were no more words after that.

* * *

 

**VII. Epilogue**

Vision woke to a quick knock. A muffled voice said, “Vision, I’m coming in.” Before he could say anything, Carol opened the door just as Wanda began stirring. “You’ve never missed--. Oh, sorry.” Wanda drew the covers up over her exposed skin. “I was worried when you didn’t show up at the run this morning. Wanda, I was coming to find you next. Well, we can talk later.” She closed the door behind her without another word.

Wanda groaned as she rolled into his side. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “How long do you think it will be before the whole team knows?” Her question was half submerged in a yawn.

“I would wager roughly thirty minutes.”

“That long?”

“The team typically showers after runs, so immediately after that.” Her second groan vibrated against his skin. Vision grinned down at her, unable to hold back his elation. “Is that so terrible?”

Raising her head and giving him an equally broad smile, Wanda whispered, “No. I just wanted some time to adjust before telling everyone.” She sank back against him. He traced his fingertips across her back while she caressed his collarbones.

She leaned down to kiss him softly. The renewed familiarity of this intimacy filled him with joy. It had been so long, but somehow it felt just as natural to kiss her as it had before Thanos. He held her head in place as the kiss deepened.

Eventually she pulled back enough to force out her question against his lips. “Do you think they’re going to ambush us?”

“I think they will have mercy on us for today.” His assumption—his hope—allowed him to resume kissing her, settling her more comfortably against him as their lips moved tenderly and slowly together.

Wanda finally drew back enough to look him in the eyes with a dazed smile on her face. “Hey, Vizh?”

“Yes?”

“Just so you know, I was beginning to fall in love with you all over again.”

“And I you, Wanda.”


End file.
